This invention relates generally to a retractable locking assembly and in particular to a retractable locking assembly for securing equipment such as ski poles and skis, bicycles, and the like.
Various types of locking assemblies have been disclosed. They are used to secure portable sporting equipment such as skis and poles. Brimhall, II, U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,904 discloses a locking assembly wherein a cable is stored in the hollow section of a ski pole with its free end extending to the top of the hand grip of the ski pole. When the user wishes to secure ski poles and skis the cable is wrapped around a stationary object and the free end of the cable is inserted into an opening in the hand grip of the other ski pole. The hand grip of the second ski pole has a combination lock to release the free end of the cable when the user wishes to remove the poles and skis from the stationary object.
Aylesworth, U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,715 discloses a ski equipment lock for securing skis and ski poles to stationary objects. One of the ski poles has been modified to include an external combination lock. The pole also has a hollowed out section in which a cable is stored. When the user wishes to secure the skis and ski poles, the cable is removed from the hollowed out pole and wrapped around the skis, ski poles and a stationary object. The free end of the cable is then reinserted into an opening in the pole. The combination lock is used to free the cable when the user wishes to detach the poles and skis from the stationary object.
J. M. Quigg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,675 also shows a combination lock with a cable wrapped around a spool mounted on one of the ski poles. The free end of the cable after being wrapped around the ski poles and other equipment to be secured and a stationary object is reinserted back into the mechanism on the ski pole and locked into place. The combination lock is used to release the free end of the cable to detach of the equipment from the stationary object.
Reichenberger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,273 discloses a cable and locking mechanism stored in one ski pole. The cable again is held in a hollowed out portion of the ski hand grip and pole and the locking mechanism is mounted on the top of the ski hand grip. To secure the skis and poles, both the locking mechanism and the cable are removed from the ski pole and looped around the skis and the stationary object. A combination lock or a key may be used to release the cable.
Stettner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,535 specifies a ski equipment lock assembly which is affixed to a ski and has a spring wound cable for threading around ski equipment and a stationary object to secure the equipment.
R. C. Schwedt et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,333 discloses a locking mechanism which is built into a ski pole grip. It uses a combination lock to release a free end of the strap attached to one of the ski hand grips. The free end of the strap may then be threaded through the strap of the other ski pole and around skis and a stationary object to secure the equipment.
Although the existing devices do perform their basic function of securing equipment to stationary objects to prevent theft, they have certain shortcomings. They require modification of standard equipment. Furthermore, with regard to portable equipment, the devices are not balanced after the locking assembly has been installed which can cause problems. For example, the ski locking assemblies described above create a weight imbalance between the ski poles, not only placing more weight in one pole than the other but also changing the center of gravity of one ski pole compared to the other the ski pole. Similarly, with locking assemblies used on devices such as bicycles, mopeds and the like, attachment or storage of the locking assembly to the device may cause weight or center of gravity imbalance. Weight imbalances in such equipment are disturbing to user of the equipment and affect the user's ability to perform with the equipment.